The Scouting Report: A weekly digest

The Irish connection, raising pigs, saving an eagle, Toronto’s sledding ban

A top lawmaker from the Republic of Ireland won’t soon forget a visit to the Mount Rushmore State.

Irish Sen. Mark Daly arrived at the South Dakota State Capitol on a blistering cold morning Thursday, Jan. 18 as part of a 14-state tour across the United States, celebrating and strengthening the bonds between Ireland and the United States.

And in South Dakota, they run deep. 

Daly, a passionate advocate for Irish heritage and international relations, was warmly welcomed by South Dakota’s political leaders and Irish-American communities alike. His visit to the state’s capital city marked a milestone in his tour, intended to foster cultural exchanges, economic partnerships and political dialogues between local leaders and the only English-speaking nation in the European Union.

In an interview with The Dakota Scout, Daly spoke eloquently about the historical and cultural connections that unite Ireland and the United States. He emphasized the significant contributions of Irish immigrants to American society – like the construction of railroads, to their pivotal role in shaping American politics. America’s role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland in the 1990s, too, can’t be understated, he said.

“There are people alive in Ireland today because of the U.S.’s support for peace,” he said.